Whitey80
You're all idiots.
Decided to build a new work bench. Something serious, to hold the weight of anything I could ever put on it, last a hundred years, but be relatively cheap to build.
So here's some pics, I'm closing in on completion. The butcherblock top takes a bit of time, as I can clamp 6 1.5" pieces at a time to avoid the pressure on my clamps breaking them, and they have to dry for 2 days before pulling the clamps and setting up another section.
I used red cedar 4x4's for the main structure with 2x4's for bracing and top supports. and 2x2 white pine for top. I know, it would have been ideal to use dried hardwood to build the entire thing, but would have cost $400-$500 at that point, this has cost about $100 in wood, thats where we are. Overall dimensions are 74" long, 35" wide and 38" tall.
Construction grade lumber is extremely wet, so these were dried for 3 1/2 months in a simple solar kiln I built in my backyard. Helps to avoid warping after construction, especially in the laminated top.
I wanted it to have a 100yrs-of-use look to it, so filled all the splits and bolt-holes with Durham's water putty, stained the whole base black ebony, then sanded it back so it only remained in recessed areas. Then Stained again in sedona red. Finished with a few coats of satin Poly.
Had that finished for a while now and been using a temporary cedar planks top while the pine finished drying to start the top.
Six at a time in the clamps.
Then joining the sections together 2 at a time in the big clamps.
All joined with Titebond III.
A couple more sections to finish, then can plane the whole top as one piece, sand, then finish with Tung oil and wax.
Should be done in about 8 days, then can finally mount my vises, anvil and arbor press to it.
So here's some pics, I'm closing in on completion. The butcherblock top takes a bit of time, as I can clamp 6 1.5" pieces at a time to avoid the pressure on my clamps breaking them, and they have to dry for 2 days before pulling the clamps and setting up another section.
I used red cedar 4x4's for the main structure with 2x4's for bracing and top supports. and 2x2 white pine for top. I know, it would have been ideal to use dried hardwood to build the entire thing, but would have cost $400-$500 at that point, this has cost about $100 in wood, thats where we are. Overall dimensions are 74" long, 35" wide and 38" tall.
Construction grade lumber is extremely wet, so these were dried for 3 1/2 months in a simple solar kiln I built in my backyard. Helps to avoid warping after construction, especially in the laminated top.
I wanted it to have a 100yrs-of-use look to it, so filled all the splits and bolt-holes with Durham's water putty, stained the whole base black ebony, then sanded it back so it only remained in recessed areas. Then Stained again in sedona red. Finished with a few coats of satin Poly.
Had that finished for a while now and been using a temporary cedar planks top while the pine finished drying to start the top.
Six at a time in the clamps.
Then joining the sections together 2 at a time in the big clamps.
All joined with Titebond III.
A couple more sections to finish, then can plane the whole top as one piece, sand, then finish with Tung oil and wax.
Should be done in about 8 days, then can finally mount my vises, anvil and arbor press to it.
